Heart of a Spell
by Alshoruzen
Summary: Sent undercover to investigate if the renowned sorcerer Kuroba Kaito might be connected with the thief who broke into the king's palace, Shinichi finds much more than he bargained for. KaiShin
1. Assignment

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/Fantasy

Summary: Sent undercover to investigate if the renowned sorcerer Kuroba Kaito might be connected with the thief who broke into the king's palace, Shinichi finds much more than he bargained for.

* * *

 **Heart of a Spell**

 **Chapter 1 - Assignment**

Seated in a small café tucked into a corner of the city square, Kudo Shinichi frowned across the table at the blond man who'd been assigned to brief him on his first assignment as a member of Ekoda law enforcement. He had just spent an hour being told about a series of strange thefts that had started over four years ago. The thief in question was also a powerful sorcerer—a fact that had caused law enforcement all over the country no end of headaches. Now that he thought about it, Shinichi thought he might even have heard of the man's endeavors a few times back in his home city of Beika. However, back there, he'd always been assigned to homicide cases. To be totally honest, he wasn't all that thrilled to be assigned to this case instead. Theft wasn't a good thing, but he would much rather be putting his efforts into tracking down killers.

This phantom thief, however, seemed to have rubbed so many people the wrong way that law enforcement officials everywhere were demanding that he be found. His most recent heist—during which he had actually broken into the king's palace and made off with an extremely valuable brooch—had just fueled the fire. A long and tedious investigation had narrowed the thief's most likely city of residence to Ekoda. Now all the city's most powerful sorcerers were being watched like hawks.

Four names in particular had come up as likely candidates, and one of those was a Kuroba Kaito. The man was the son of two famous magic users and said to be a true prodigy of the arcane arts. And it was he who Shinichi was now being told he would be investigating.

But what he really wanted to know was, "Why _me_?"

"Because you're the only one he's remotely likely to hire," Hakuba Saguru replied, tone matter-of-fact. "Since you just transferred here from a different city, he won't have seen your face before."

"But I thought you said he was looking to hire an assistant," he pointed out. "I can't use magic."

"Wasn't your mother a sorceress though?"

"Well, yeah, but I never had much interest in it," Shinichi admitted. "So I used to run away from her whenever she wanted to try teaching me…"

The blond nodded thoughtfully. "Still, that means you probably know more about magic than the average applicant. It could give you an edge, though he never actually specified magical knowledge as a requirement. I've also heard he's partial to blue eyes."

"…Does that matter?" Shinichi asked warily, suddenly feeling a bit thrown off. What could the color of his eyes have to do with anything?

The blond shrugged. " It might, it might not. It's all about making a good first impression. We've already submitted your application for you."

"Gee, thanks," Shinichi muttered under his breath, though not loud enough to be heard by his companion.

"And here is a copy." Hakuba pushed a folder full of papers across the table to him. "Also in the folder are all the necessary identifications, etc. Familiarize yourself with it as quickly as possible. Your interview is tomorrow morning."

That was awfully soon.

"All right." Picking up the folder, Shinichi flipped through it quickly to check that everything was there before setting it back down again. "If you don't mind me asking though, why are we devoting so many resources to catching this one thief?"

That earned him a disbelieving—and maybe a bit disapproving—look from Hakuba. "He's breaking the law. That means he has to be stopped. You should understand that."

"I know, but weren't there three serial killings recently? I would have thought that case should have greater priority."

"There are other people working on that. All you need to worry about is landing this job."

"Oh." It seemed he wasn't supposed to ask questions after all. He'd hoped things would be different here, but it seemed he'd been wrong. All the other officers back home were also always telling him that he should just do what he was told.

-0-

Pausing outside the towering mansion, Shinichi gazed up at the elegant building with no little trepidation. So this was where Kuroba Kaito lived. If he was successful in getting the job he'd been sent to get, it would be where Shinichi would be living as well. Tall windows glittered in the building face like the facets of a great jewel. And the grounds he'd walked through to reach the building—all deep flowerbeds, lush lawns, and leafy trees. It was like the mansion was sitting in the middle of its own park.

But it wasn't the size and grandeur of the place that was making him nervous. He'd seen plenty of big houses in his time. His parents' house, back when he'd still lived with them, had been fairly large as well, even if it didn't have this place's impressive yard. After he'd moved out, he'd mostly lived in apartments, but large houses bore no special power over him no matter how awe-inspiring they were probably meant to be. This place though… It felt—as though there was something else here. A presence. It felt as though it was watching him, ridiculous as the notion was. He couldn't see anything, but this was definitely no ordinary house. What kind of man lived in a place like this?

Come to think of it, he knew practically nothing about this sorcerer other than his name and reputation. He knew the man was renowned as a genius. Like his equally famous father, he had started his career as a performing sorcerer—building spectacular shows that had people flocking to any venue he was scheduled to appear at. Not only that, but in the process of perfecting and expanding on his arts he had discovered more than two dozen entirely new spells and created multiple, powerful magical items. Nowadays people from all over the kingdom came to consult him whenever they had problems with magic. Many had come asking him to teach them, but so far he had turned them all away. No one knew why.

For someone so famous, he was said to be incredibly secretive. It was believed that in addition to the spells he'd documented and published for others to learn from he had many more that he had never shared.

It was partly this secrecy that had made the city's law enforcement so suspicious of him. To them, his unwillingness to take students into his house and his preference for keeping things to himself meant that he had something he wanted to hide.

His fame, however, was also the reason why they had to be so careful about investigating the man. Without solid evidence against him, even hinting at an accusation could get everyone in the department fired and possibly denounced for life, all considered many of the country's rich and powerful were the man's avid fans. Even the king was rumored to have attended more than a handful of his performances.

Shaking his head, Shinichi braced himself and moved to ring the doorbell. If he didn't get moving, he'd be late, and that was never a good way to begin an interview.

The door was answered by an elderly man who smiled at him. "How may I help you, lad?"

"Hi, my name is Kudo Shinichi. I'm here for an interview with the sorcerer, Kuroba Kaito."

"Ah, yes, I remember now. Please, follow me, Master Kaito is waiting in the study."

-0-

Shinichi tried not to fidget as the old man closed the study door behind him. At the large desk before him sat a young man who couldn't be more than a year or two older than himself. There was a roguish air about him. It was in the sly quirk of his grin and the mischievous gleam in his eyes. His tousled brown hair fell in a mess that somehow managed to look wild and elegant at the same time. The most striking thing about him, however, was the complete confidence with which he carried himself—like someone who knew that he could have the entire world at his mercy if he so chose.

His sharp, indigo eyes looked Shinichi up and down as he stood there awkwardly before the door, studying every inch of him with an intensity that made Shinichi squirm. It felt like the man was reading his soul. Could sorcerers do that? Come to think of it, he didn't know. What if the guy could tell that Shinichi was actually here on behalf of people trying to investigate if he was a thief? Would he just throw Shinichi out? Or do something worse?

But it seemed his fears were unfounded as the man waved for him to sit on the chair across from him. "Your name was Shinichi, right?"

He nodded, taking a seat.

"And you just moved to Ekoda?"

"About a week ago. I'm from Beika."

The sorcerer nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, I've been there once. Not a very big city but beautiful. So, as you know, I am looking for an assistant. I just keep getting busier these days and there are a lot of things that have to be done that just eat up time like nobody's business. Lately, I've barely had any time to spend on my own studies and experiments, which is a drag because that means I won't be able to improve on my abilities or inventions." He heaved a melodramatic sigh. "In any case, that is why I am seeking an assistant. Most of what I need from you will be to take care of things around the house and run errands. However, I may also ask you to help in the preparation of my shows, represent me at meetings and official functions that I am unable to attend myself, and an assortment of other tasks as needed. There will probably be a lot of running around, and maybe some awkward hours. You must also be willing to advance your own knowledge of the arcane arts for those occasions where you may need to attend meetings for me. Old Jii—the man who brought you in—helps me out here and there, but he's getting on in years and I really don't want to put so much strain on him. He's a good man, and he deserves more rest than he's been able to get. Does all of that sound acceptable to you?"

Shinichi nodded again. "I have to tell you though that I'm not a sorcerer. I won't be able to provide assistance in anything actually magical."

Kaito chuckled. "That's alright. If I was looking for a sorcerer, I would have said so to begin with. You don't have to be able to cast spells to understand how magic works. All you need is to be willing to learn. Now, tell me more about yourself. Why did you decide to come to Ekoda?"

"Well, like you said earlier, Beika's a small city…"

This Kuroba Kaito was, Shinichi reflected, incredibly easy to talk to. And as much as he could, he tried to tell the man only the truth. He'd always hated lying—another reason he hadn't wanted to take this job (not that he'd been given a choice).

"I think we're going to get along very well," the sorcerer concluded an hour later. "Just one last thing. Your mother was a sorceress, wasn't she?"

Shinichi started in surprise at the question. The sorcerer hadn't said it like a question—more like he knew it was true and was asking only out of courtesy to confirm it should the knowledge be necessary in the future. But he knew for a fact that that piece of information hadn't been in the application the department had submitted for him. Had he mentioned anything during their conversation that might have hinted at it? He couldn't remember doing so.

"I—yes," he said finally. "But how did you know?"

The sorcerer chuckled. "You'll find out eventually. Now, if you're going to be working here, there are two rules you will have to observe at all times." Kaito's face grew abruptly serious as his gaze sharpened, pinning Shinichi to his seat. "One, you do not speak of anything you see regarding my work in this house with anyone unless you ask me first and I give you permission. And two, if I tell you to do something—say, for example, to duck, close your eyes, or turn around—you do it immediately or I won't be held responsible for anything that happens to you. If you have questions, ask them afterward. Magic is a volatile thing and it doesn't often allow for second chances. Do you think you can do that?"

Shinichi hesitated only a moment before nodding, trying to convince himself that he wasn't lying. He wouldn't tell anyone about the sorcerer's official work. He was just supposed to keep an eye out for any signs that the man might be sneaking off to steal things at night. That didn't count as part of his actual work, right? Right.

The sorcerer beamed. "Good. Then you have the rest of today to pack. I'll expect you back here tomorrow morning by ten at the latest."

* * *

 **-TBC-**


	2. Learning the Ropes

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

* * *

 **Heart of a Spell**

 **Chapter 2 - Learning the Ropes**

Life at the Kuroba mansion started out normally enough. Shinichi had been given his own suite of rooms—which was rather a lot more than he'd expected. There was a sitting room, a bedroom, and a bathroom. The furnishings were plain and comfortable just the way he preferred. It hadn't taken long to get all his stuff unpacked and in order, considering he really didn't have that much in the way of belongings. He'd only brought a few sets of clothes and some books with him from Beika when he'd moved, and the one week he'd been in Ekoda hadn't been long enough for him to start acquiring much else. Once he was done, he'd been shown around the house and the grounds by the old man, Jii.

He learned that Jii had not only been working for Kaito for years but he had also worked for Kaito's father, the late Kuroba Toichi. In addition, he was good friends with Kuroba Chikage, Kaito's mother, who had retired and was currently living in the next city over because she particularly liked the food and scenery there. Just from listening to the way the old man spoke of the family Shinichi could tell that he held a deep respect for them—not only as sorcerers but as people. He filed that observation away for later. Surely, someone who inspired such respect and care from others couldn't be that bad. Really, from what he'd seen, he didn't understand why the department was so hell bent on thinking this Kaito was the phantom thief they were looking for. He was a powerful sorcerer with a beautiful home and a job he obviously loved and was lauded for. What reason could he possibly have to want to steal anything?

Well, there were three other suspects. All Shinichi had to do was work here until the department was satisfied that Kaito wasn't the thief after all, and then he could go back to the really important cases like that serial killer.

"Feel free to come to me if you have any questions," Jii told him as he led the way down yet another long hallway. "I know it may take some time to get used to the place, especially when you're already new to the city, but I'm sure you'll like it here. And if you need any help settling in, just ask."

Shinichi returned the old man's smile with a genuine one of his own. "I will, thank you."

The last place Jii showed him on the tour was the library. Shinichi fell in love with it immediately. There were books everywhere on just about every conceivable subject! He was more than happy when the old man told him that he should wait here for Kaito. He would gladly have moved in and lived among the shelves. Although he supposed he should probably keep that thought to himself. It might make people think he was a little bit insane.

Oh but all those books! It was a piece of heaven on earth, surely. He'd never even heard of most of them! Even the Beika city library hadn't had so many books! Er, although it would only be fair to mention that the Beika city library was all of one room off of the building that served as the city hall.

When Kaito arrived it was to find his new assistant curled up in one of the library's large, plush armchairs with a book open on his lap and several more piled around him like the beginnings of a very strange nest for an even stranger bird. He paused in the doorway to observe the scene for a moment, smiling faintly. It was a rather adorable sight.

This young man wasn't anything like what he had expected them to send him. It was a pleasant surprise though. He had the feeling he could grow to really like the boy.

Still, there was that other matter. He'd noticed it the moment he'd laid eyes on Shinichi, and he had to wonder if they had any idea what they had all but just offered to him on a silver platter. Probably not. It was just lucky for them he wasn't that kind of person. The boy himself didn't seem to be aware of it either though. And that could be dangerous. Sliding a hand into his pocket, he fingered the object nestled there. It had taken him a good few hours to make it, but it would have been too risky not to—for Shinichi's sake if not anyone else's.

He shook his head at the thought. Beika must not have had any sorcerers trained in magical detection.

Padding silently over to the armchair across from Shinichi's, he took a seat before clearing his throat loudly.

Shinichi jumped. The sudden motion dislodged several of the volumes he'd stashed around him and they slid and thumped to the floor. Letting out a yelp of dismay, he dove to retrieve them—which sent yet more of the books, this time including the one he'd been reading, off to join the first batch of casualties.

Kaito watched in amusement as Shinichi spent the next few minutes scrambling about the floor after runaway books and apologizing. Eventually, he'd picked up all the fallen volumes and stacked them neatly on the nearby reading table. Letting out a short sigh, he turned to face Kaito at last, a blush dusted across his cheeks.

"I really am sorry," he said again. "I, uh, didn't mean to… I mean, I've never seen most of these before and I just wanted a quick look to see what they were about. I know I probably should've waited to ask you if that was okay, but I—"

"It's all right, I don't mind if you want to read the books in here," Kaito cut in before his new assistant could ramble on any further. Though he had to admit that the sight was rather cute. "There are a few books in this house that are magical in nature, but they aren't kept in this room. If you ever run across any of those, I would advise that you not touch them. They can be quite temperamental if handled incorrectly. Everything here is safe enough."

Shinichi blinked. Temperamental? How could a book be temperamental?

"Magic tends to have a bit of a life of its own," the sorcerer supplied as though he'd read his mind. "Now do have a seat. We have a lot of things to go over."

"Oh, right." Shinichi hurried back to the armchair he'd been sitting in earlier.

"Your first order of business will be to familiarize yourself with the organization and layout of this library, the pantry, and various other storage sectors of this house. You won't be able to assist me if you don't know where everything is. You will be responsible for the usual errands such as groceries and handling post so you'll need to know where it all goes. In fact, I currently have a rather large box of unread mail in the letter room that I will need you to go over today. Jii can teach you how to spot what's important and what's just junk. You'll be accompanying him for most of today and the next few days so he can show you the ropes and answer your questions. I also want you to read these." Raising his hand, Kaito made a beckoning gesture at the shelves. A stack of five, heavy volumes pulled themselves out of the shelves and flew to stack themselves in a neat pile on the air in front of Shinichi. Blue eyes stared at them for a moment before their owner carefully picked up the two on top and read their titles.

" _Magic of the Ages_ ," he read out loud. " _To See the Unseen_."

"That second one will answer the question you asked me yesterday."

"Huh?"

"About how I knew your mother was a sorceress. The truth is you told me yourself. Or rather your aura told me," the sorcerer explained.

Shinichi's brows furrowed. "My aura? Isn't that just the word people use for the energy in a particular living thing?"

"That's hardly a 'just' anything. It's very important. It is the beginning and end of all magic. Not only that, but it is like a person's second face—it defines a part of who and what you are. That was how I knew your mother was a sorceress. I read it in your aura."

"I didn't know that was something people could do," Shinichi mused, interested. "So what else can you tell about a person with this ability?"

Kaito waved a hand airily. "I can tell a lot of things. For example, I can also tell that you are a virgin."

Shinichi blanked for a moment before a dark blush spread across his face and he spluttered. "You—what—you—!"

"Is there a problem?" Indigo eyes blinked innocently at him. He didn't buy it for a minute.

"That is _not_ the kind of thing you go around saying to people! Especially not to someone you barely know! Haven't you heard of privacy?!"

"Whoa there, easy now. You were the one that asked. Your face is turning all red by the way."

Turning even redder, Shinichi shook his head and forced himself to take a deep breath. He could see the way the sorcerer was laughing behind those indigo eyes. And besides, smacking his employer over the head with a book just because he was horribly embarrassed by an answer the man gave to a question he himself had asked probably wasn't a good way to start a working relationship. Even so, didn't Kaito have any understanding of the concept of privacy?

"So what else am I supposed to do?"

Smirking slightly at the obvious change of topic, Kaito decided to give the embarrassed young man a break and go with it. "Actually, I think that's quite enough to be getting started with. The most important thing right now is for you to get used to this house. There is a small, white card on the dresser in your bedroom. I'm not sure if you saw it."

"I did, but it was blank."

"That's right. Think of it like a magical message board you can keep with you. Each morning, it will show you the tasks that you need to attend to."

"That's convenient," Shinichi mused, intrigued.

"That reminds me. I have something else for you here." Holding out his right hand, Kaito turned it over to reveal a small, clover-shaped talisman. It sparkled gold and turquoise in the light spilling in through the library windows. The light also picked out the intricate runes that had been woven together with the tiny, turquoise stones to form the clover's shape. The talisman itself was attached to a thin, gold chain. "I want you to keep this with you. It should be helpful to you."

Puzzled, Shinichi reached out gingerly and accepted the trinket. It felt warm to the touch. "Helpful for what?"

"Think about it as a good luck charm."

That wasn't a real answer, Shinichi observed. It was the kind of wiggly answer that only looked like an answer if you didn't actually think about it. Yet at the same time it didn't sound like an outright lie. The mystery of it only piqued Shinichi's innate curiosity, but Kaito had already moved on.

By the time the sorcerer was done telling him about all his future duties, Shinichi had developed a healthy respect for Jii. The old man had apparently been handling what sounded to him like a work load meant for at least two energetic people, not one old man.

"Do you have any questions?"

Shinichi thought for a moment then shook his head. "No."

"Well then, I'll be taking my leave. If something does come up, ask Jii. He'll be working with you until we're both satisfied that you can handle the position." Kaito rose to his feet and headed for the door. Before stepping out of the library, he paused to glance back at Shinichi with an encouraging smile. "I hope you like it here."

Then he was gone.

Shinichi blinked at the empty space where Kaito had been, caught off guard by the unexpected encouragement. The words had stirred a strange feeling in his chest. It was warm and light, and he realized that he really had been nervous. Not only was he a stranger to this city, but he had been thrown without warning into being an assistant for a man who was both an incredibly famous sorcerer and a suspect for being a master thief. So much had changed in so little time and landed him in a life he had never imagined having or wanting.

But there was Kaito, the source of half his stress, encouraging him. And, strangely, it made him feel better, perhaps because it showed him that it was okay that he felt out of his depth right now. His new colleagues with the police hadn't encouraged him. They'd only told him what to do. Okay, some of them had assured him that he would be fine, but while that was nice and all, it hadn't actually helped. They were talking about the job.

Shinichi shook his head. What was he doing anyway? Comparing his employers? He had better things to do with his time.

He looked at the talisman again. It was a beautiful piece of work. He just wished he knew what it was for. Well, most talismans were made for protection of one kind or another. Shrugging, he undid the clasp and redid it behind his neck. If Kaito thought it was so important for him to keep it with him, then he would probably learn what it was for eventually by doing just that. In the meantime, he had some books to read.

 **-TBC-**


	3. Early Observations

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

* * *

 **Heart of a Spell**

 **Chapter 3 – Early Observations**

Observation number one, Kuroba Kaito was a thoughtful person who wasn't above helping out his employees. Well, helping out his way anyway.

-0-

"We're going to get you some new clothes," Kaito announced as he breezed into the dining room and began wolfing down his breakfast.

Shinichi gave him a blank look over the mugs he was pouring coffee into. "What?"

"New clothes. For you," the sorcerer reiterated, pointing his fork across the table at Shinichi—or, more precisely, at the young man's black suit. "If you're going to be working for me, you can't continue going around looking like you're headed to a funeral."

Shinichi looked down at himself, not entirely sure what to say to _that_. He'd only brought the two suits and a pair of pajamas when he'd moved because he'd been expecting to have to be in uniform for work most of the time. He'd chosen black even though it wasn't his favorite color because it was the only color acceptable at all occasions from celebrations to, yes, funerals. Now that his situation had changed, he supposed it only made sense that he would need a few more outfits—certainly a few casual things would be nice. Why this meant he had to go shopping with his new employer though was a mystery. He was perfectly capable of getting new clothes on his own. He decided to say so.

"You don't really have to take time out of your schedule just to help me with that."

Kaito waved him away. "It's no biggie. Besides, you're new here, right? I can show you around a bit while we're at it. Help you get to know our fair city."

"…Oh. Uh, thank you."

-0-

Observation number two, Kuroba Kaito didn't understand the concept of personal space the way normal people did.

-0-

"So? Does it fit?"

"Well… I…guess, yeah, but…" Standing inside the changing room stall, Shinichi eyed his own reflection like it was a stranger. He certainly felt like it was.

This was not what he had expected when Kaito had said he needed a new wardrobe. He'd expected to pick up a few less somber but still formal outfits and maybe a set of casual clothes or two. He had not expected to be told to try on these—party clothes. Well, he didn't really know if that was what they were, but they were definitely not normal clothes. Not his idea of normal anyway. They looked like they should be worn on stage.

Wait, hold on. He just remembered. Kaito, in addition to his other work, was still a practitioner of performance magic. Did this mean he was actually expecting Shinichi to go on stage with him? He hadn't mentioned _that_ in the briefing!

"Hello in there," Kaito's voice called from outside, beginning to sound impatient. "You didn't finish your sentence. But what? I mean, it either fits or it doesn't."

"Huh? Oh, uh, it's not that it doesn't fit," he started again, fighting down the heat rising in his face—or trying to anyway. The thing fit alright. Too well. "I was just wondering if it was really necessary for me to get clothes like this?"

"What do you mean _like this_? Is there something strange about the clothes?"

"They're kind of—bright."

"Well yeah. That's the whole point. You're going to be accompanying me to a lot of social functions. You'd ruin the mood showing up in funerary colors. And insult a lot of people to boot. Dressing well is a form of respect for your hosts and fellow guests."

"Oh." He supposed that was sensible too.

"So how's it look?"

"What?"

"Honestly, it's like you've never gone shopping for clothes before. I'll just come look myself."

"What? No-!" But the bolt in the door shot sideways as though moved by an invisible hand and the door opened. Shinichi blushed and tried to slam the door on the intruder, but he wasn't fast enough. The sorcerer was already inside and giving him a funny look for the way he was plastered to the door. Indigo eyes swept over Shinichi from top to bottom and back again.

He hummed in approval. "Looks good. Now try this one."

Shinichi took the proffered outfit then pointedly opened the door. Much to his dismay, the sorcerer did not appear to get the message.

"Come on, hurry up. We don't have all day you know."

"Can you get out then?" he asked, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice.

"But you take too long by yourself."

"Well I can't change with you in here," he pointed out, wondering what was so hard to grasp about the concept. It wasn't like the stall was meant for more than one. It was too small.

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no need to be shy."

Shinichi spluttered. He considered arguing that it wasn't about being shy, it was about not wanting to rub elbows with _his new boss_ while trying on clothes. But he could recognize a lost cause when he saw one. So instead, he marched into the next stall over and locked the door.

-0-

Observation number three, not only did Kuroba Kaito not understand personal space, but he also had a mischievous streak a mile wide and no sense of shame.

-0-

Already holding an armful of clothes that Kaito had tossed at him as he trailed after the sorcerer in a bit of a daze at just how quickly the taller man was sorting through the store inventory (was he using magic? Surely no one should be able to accurately assess the appearance and size of clothes just by glancing at them once…?), it took the undercover detective several seconds to register what his eyes were telling him had just been added to the top of the heap. When the sight finally did register, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Wait, you made a mistake," he called after the sorcerer.

Kaito returned to peer critically at the last article he'd tossed on the pile. "Looks fine to me. What's the problem?"

"…" Shinichi looked hard at the man, trying to detect any hint of a jest. "Uh, it's a dress."

"In the exact shade of blue as your eyes," Kaito agreed, looking rather pleased with himself. "It's a perfect match, and it's just your size."

Shinichi spluttered. "You can't possibly expect me to wear that!"

"I think it would look lovely on you~."

"Just because you're paying me doesn't mean I'm going to dress up for your entertainment!"

Shinichi froze as his ears caught up with his own exclamation. He snuck a glance around the store. Those other customers close enough to hear him had stopped talking and were giving them strange looks. Shinichi flushed bright red. His own words played back through his head and he turned redder. Oh no, that had sounded really… Argh, what must they be thinking?!

He took a peek at Kaito next, hoping the man would say something to break the awkwardness. To his disappointment, far from looking embarrassed like a normal person, Kaito actually seemed to be amused.

Indigo eyes danced as the sorcerer sidled over and wrapped an arm around his middle. "Have I ever told you how cute you are when you're blushing?"

Shinichi didn't really think he could be blamed for stamping on his new boss's foot and running out of the shop, leaving the clothes he'd been carrying in a messy heap on the floor behind him.

If only the ground would swallow him whole, Shinichi thought. That would be nice. The next best thing would be if he could just pass out and forget this whole conversation ever happened. Was it possible to will yourself to faint? Maybe if he wished hard enough he could at least get a temporary case of amnesia.

-0-

Observation number four, Kuroba Kaito could be…kind of sweet—when he wanted to be.

-0-

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."

Shinichi looked up from where he was seated on a park bench. He glowered at the taller man, willing him to go away. He didn't. Instead, Kaito sat down on the bench beside him.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Shinichi grumbled.

"I'm sensing some hostility."

"What did you want?"

"You're still upset about the dress, aren't you?" Kaito stated more than asked.

Shinichi snorted but didn't dignify the question with an answer. It was obvious anyway.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for my little jest to make you so uncomfortable."

"…"

"Here, let me make it up to you." Not waiting for an answer, he took Shinichi's hand and dragged him off the bench and out of the park.

"H—hey!" Shinichi protested, but his protests fell on deaf ears. Confused, he resigned himself to being dragged off to who knew where.

Their destination turned out to be a quaint little bakery on the top floor of a building that gave it a splendid view of the park they had just left. They had been seated out on the terrace. Now they each had a plate and a mug before them: a mocha and a slice of chocolate cake for Kaito and a coffee and slice of lemon pie for Shinichi.

"So how is it?" the sorcerer asked.

Shinichi blinked. "Oh, uh, it's…it's good."

Kaito beamed. "Great. I'm glad you like it. So," he added, offering Shinichi his best charming smile. "Forgive me for earlier?"

Shinichi felt a blush creeping up into his face, and he ducked his head. "I…I guess." It was impossible to stay mad in the face of that smile. It was a strange feeling. Kind of disconcerting. He would bet that when the sorcerer was little, he was the kind of kid who would get into trouble then charm his way out of being scolded.

-0-

Observation number five, being Kuroba Kaito's assistant required a large variety of skills. It was not unlike being a cook, a secretary, a groundskeeper, a valet, and a maid all rolled into one.

-0-

Shinichi tried not to gape at Jii. "You're…going to teach me how to cook?"

The old man nodded, smiling all the while. "It is impractical to get our food from restaurants all the time, and nutrition is very important."

Which, Shinichi thought, really didn't explain why he was supposed to be responsible for their meals. Couldn't they hire a cook or something? But he had to do the best he could, and it didn't hurt to learn how to cook more things. It was a good survival skill.

The prospect was made a little daunting however by the fact that his list of responsibilities already expanded by several items since his briefing from Kaito. He'd found that he had to clean up (couldn't sorcerers use magic for something that like? Or was it considered a waste of time and energy. Well, whatever the reason, Shinichi now knew the names and uses of more cleaning tools than he'd even known existed), brush up on his knowledge of botany and landscaping (it turned out that it was his responsibility to supervise the gardener who came each week), memorize all of Kaito's regular contacts (their names, faces, and other necessary information about them), and so on and so forth. And the first week wasn't even over yet!

"And this is the cold storage room," the old man continued detailing how the kitchen and pantry were organized. Shinichi, however, had momentarily stopped listening to gape. One entire wall of the cold storage room was occupied by boxes upon boxes of chocolate cake. There were big ones and small ones, round ones and square ones—just about any kind of chocolate cake or chocolate cake-like dessert you could name.

"As you can see, the young master likes his chocolate," Jii said amiably like this was perfectly normal. "We special order these from four of the major bakeries around the city. The spells on this particular shelf create a limited, temporal freeze that prevents food from moving forward in time, keeping them fresh as the moment you put them on the shelf. The freeze wears off of a particular item after exactly two months, so that's about how much I stock for at a time."

"You mean _this_ is only two months worth of chocolate?!"

"That's right."

-0-

Observation number six, Kuroba Kaito was just insane.

* * *

 **-TBC-**


	4. Warnings

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

* * *

 **Heart of a Spell**

 **Chapter 4 - Warnings**

It had been a month since he had started working as Kaito's assistant, and Shinichi was finally beginning to settle in to his new life. Unplanned as his temporary career change had been, he had found that it wasn't as terrible as he had thought it would be.

He was, however, busier than he had ever been in his life. "I'm done!" he announced, setting the last dish down on the table in front of Jii.

The old man surveyed the spread of assorted dishes that Shinichi had prepared with a critical eye. "The presentation is good," he said before picking up a pair of chopsticks. "Now let's see how it tastes."

Shinichi waited a bit nervously as the old man began to sample bits of each dish. One month of cooking lessons and Shinichi had found that he actually kind of enjoyed the activity. There was something both calming and satisfying about being able to take raw ingredients and turn them into something edible. It was also a skill that was going to make living on his own much, much easier once he got back to his real life.

Jii set his chopsticks down and smiled at the young (undercover) detective. "You've gotten much better. Now we can move on to the more complex dishes."

Shinichi wondered if it was wrong of him to feel so delighted at the old man's words. He decided it wasn't. This new job might be only a temporary arrangement, but that didn't mean he shouldn't give it his all. For all intents and purposes right now, this _was_ his real job. And he intended to give it the attention it deserved.

Doing so made him feel a little less guilty about being here under false pretenses. But he'd rather not think about that right now.

He had far too much he had to be doing to be worrying about it.

Take today, for instance.

It wasn't even lunch time yet, and he had already been down to the post office to retrieve and drop off mail, done the laundry, cleaned the library, replaced the wilting flowers in the sitting and dining rooms with fresh ones, cleaned those rooms, organized the latest batch of groceries, spoken to the gardener about a tree that needed trimming, and completed his first cooking test.

Now that all that was over, he had a brief breather as he and Jii ate the products of his test for lunch.

"Isn't Kaito going to eat with us?"

" _Master_ Kaito will be lunching with the Suzuki family today," the old man replied, placing a slight emphasis on the title and giving Shinichi a pointed look.

Their quiet meal was interrupted rather suddenly by Kaito as he burst into the dining room. He had one arm in the sleeve of a blue and silver jacket and was in the process of pulling the garment the rest of the way on. "Hey, have either of you seen that lapel pin with the rose quartz cranes on it? It was a gift from the family. They'll be hoping to see me wearing it."

"I believe I last saw it in your workroom," Jii replied after a moment's thought. "I recall you said you were going to make it into a protective charm."

"I remember that. But it wasn't there."

"You also said it needed a bit of sun."

"Ah ha! That was it. The roof." Kaito snapped his fingers, and suddenly there was a bejeweled pin glittering in his hand. "I'll be on my way then. But first." He turned to Shinichi. "I need you to deliver these today." He pulled a cloth bag and a slip pf paper out of the air with a flourish and handed both to Shinichi. "Just work your way down the list. Give everything in the bag to each of these people when you reach them. It will refill itself with the next person's delivery each time you do. Just make sure you go down the list in order."

Shinichi nodded his understanding. The sorcerer flashed both his assistants a quick grin before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

X

"I will not be going with you," Jii said. "Do you think you can manage without me?"

Shinichi nodded. "I'm just making deliveries. If I get lost, I'll just ask someone."

Jii smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "You best be on your way then."

And here he was.

Shinichi wondered if this was supposed to be some kind of test to see if he was starting to get to know his way around like he should.

Turning up the path to the first house on his list, he found himself climbing up what appeared to be an endless series of steps between equally endless rows of trees. Their leafy boughs stretched over his head to form a golden green tunnel like the sort he had often seen in paintings. It was a beautiful sight and a peaceful walk, but if he didn't reach the house soon he wasn't going to be able to make all the deliveries today With that in mind, he picked up his pace. He jogged up the stairs for a while before the growing ache in his knees forced him back to a walk. Seriously, whoever lived at the top of these steps had to be a champion hiker. Or maybe there was a better way up for carriages or such like.

Preoccupied with imagining what kind of person would live in a house at the top of such a horribly long staircase, he almost didn't notice when the steps finally leveled out to become a flagstone path still meandering through that leafy green sun tunnel. Despite the fact that the steps had come to an end, he still couldn't see a house. There was only one way to walk though, so he couldn't have taken a wrong turn. Right?

Somewhat reassured by that thought, he trudged onward. Sunbeams painted dappled shadows across his path, and birds sang from hidden alcoves amidst the leaves. The path wound ever forward, apparently without end. After a while, his thoughts began to drift. He found himself marveling at the tranquility of the place. It seemed to take away all the little worries and uncertainties that had been cluttering his mind ever since he'd arrived in Ekoda. For the first time since he'd left home, he felt truly at peace.

Ahead of him, the trees parted and the path broadened out. And there stood a magnificent house beyond an open, arched gate hung with ivy. Shinichi took a moment to gaze upon the place with wonder before stepping through the gate.

Now he was standing in a sunbathed garden. Deep flower beds overflowed with color everywhere the eye could see. Swarms of butterflies danced amidst the blooms. And there, walking up the path towards him with a watering can in her hand, was a young woman with her hair tied back in a ponytail.

"Good afternoon," she said to him with a smile. "How may I help you?"

Shinichi gave the girl a polite bow. "My name is Kudo Shinichi. I have a delivery here for a Miss Toyama Kazuha from the sorcerer, Kuroba Kaito."

"Ah, I see." The girl's eyes lit up. "I was wondering when he would deliver it. I was expecting old Jii though. Are you his new assistant then?"

"I am," Shinichi said, trying to squash the twinge of unease at what he still felt was partially a lie. "Here." Reaching into the bag Kaito had given him, he felt around until his hand closed on something round and cold. His hand emerged from the bag holding a blue glass orb.

Kazuha smiled as she took the orb. It fit perfectly in her cupped hands. "Thank you. I was a little worried he wouldn't finish it in time. I need it for my client this afternoon." A strange, misty light swirled through the orb. The girl's smile widened. "Perfect. Kuroba always does an amazing job. Tell him I'll send my payment the usual way."

"I will."

"Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?"

"Ah, thank you, but I can't. I still have several deliveries to make."

"Oh, perhaps another time then."

Shinichi bowed and was about to leave, but he was stopped by a hand on his elbow.

"Wait."

Confused, he turned back to the young woman only to find her frowning at him. Had he done something wrong?

"Did you need something else?" he asked.

"It's not that. I…" Kazuha stepped back, hands going back to clasping the blue orb which was now flickering like it had been filled with blue fire. "You should be cautious. You have a difficult road ahead of you. You are in more danger than you realize. Your greatest ally will also be the cause of your greatest pain. You must trust your own judgment and stay true to what you believe. If you do then, at least, you will not have cause to regret."

Shinichi blinked, wondering what he was supposed to say in answer to that. It sounded like a warning of some kind. But where was it coming from?

Seeing that Kazuha was waiting for some kind of response, Shinichi nodded. "I will keep that in mind." It was the only thing he could think of to say. It seemed sufficient though, since the girl nodded and bid him farewell.

-0-

The deliveries went smoothly after that. None of the other houses were half as hard to reach as Toyama Kazuha's had been. Shinichi did take a wrong turn here and there, but over all he was quite pleased with himself. In a relatively short time, he had managed to gain a decent working knowledge of the layout of the city despite its immense size.

He was on his way to the second to last address on his list when a hand suddenly came down on his shoulder. He jumped and spun around, clutching more tightly onto his delivery bag on reflex, only to find himself looking into a familiar face.

"Hakuba," he gasped. "What are you—"

"Not here," the blond said, cutting him off. Taking Shinichi by the arm, he towed the confused detective-turned-sorcerer's-assistant into a narrow alley between a tailor's shop and a bakery. He didn't let go of Shinichi until they were well out of sight of the casual passerby.

Then he released Shinichi and turned to face him. "Well?"'

Shinichi raised an eyebrow at him. "Well what?"

"Haven't you found anything yet?" the blond elaborated impatiently.

Blue eyes narrowed slightly. "I turned in my report two days ago."

"There wasn't anything useful in it."

"Well there sin't anything else."

It was Hakuba's turn to frown. "Have you even been looking? It seems from your report like all you have been doing is housework."

Shinichi bristled. "You guys were the ones who said I had to apply to be Kaito's assistant. In case you didn't know, that includes cooking, cleaning, librarian work, making deliveries, and a whole lot more besides. So forgive me if I've been doing lots of housework!"

Hakuba looked taken aback for a moment before his expression smoothed. "I see. In that case, I suppose it cannot be helped. However, do not forget that you have a duty."

Shinichi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Didn't Hakuba think he knew that? Sure, he was new to Ekoda, but he wasn't an amateur. It wasn't his fault if there was nothing to tell. It just meant that, most likely, the police had been barking up the wrong tree when they'd given him this assignment.

"Is there anything else?" he asked just to be polite. "If not, I still have two deliveries to make."

"That is all. For now."

Shinichi nodded and left.

-0-

When he got back to the house, he found Jii waiting for him by the front gate.

"Did your deliveries go well?" the old man asked.

Shinichi hoped he didn't look guilty as he nodded. "The first place took a long time to reach, but, other than that, everything was fine."

Jii chuckled. "Ah yes, Miss Toyama's house is bespelled so that only one with a tranquil mind can reach it—unless she gives permission otherwise, of course. Did she say anything to you while you were there?"

Shinichi blinked, recalling the girl's rather strange parting words to him. "Well… She did say some things, but I didn't really understand what she meant… I think she was telling me to be careful."

Jii nodded, expression thoughtful. "Did she tell you what you needed to be careful of?"

"Uh…not really. Why? Was it important?"

"It is a little hard to say. But Miss Toyama's fortunes are almost always accurate. She is the second most renowned fortuneteller in Ekoda. If she warned you to be careful then you had best follow her advice."

"O—oh." A strange chill raced up Shinichi's spine. He shook it off with an effort.

Jii seemed to sense his unease because he smiled and patted Shinichi reassuringly on the back. "Don't worry too much about it, Lad. The future isn't set in stone. Even the best fortunetellers can't say exactly what our futures hold."

"Right…" Somehow, Shinichi was not reassured. It was ridiculous. He'd never believed in fortunetelling. But for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

* * *

 **-TBC-**


	5. Murmur

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

* * *

 **Heart of a Spell**

 **Chapter 5 - Murmur**

The serial killer had struck again. The news was splashed across the front page of every paper in the city. The victim this time was a thirty two year old woman who had run her own antiques dealership. Though she sold antiques, she made most of her living by authenticating items that clients brought to her. By all accounts, she was one of the best in the city at spotting fakes and unearthing lost treasures. She was not known to have any enemies, or at least she didn't have any enemies that the newspapers knew of. Her store, however, had been robbed. According to the dealership's records, the thief had taken two antique mirrors, a set of gold goblets and plates, a comb, three swords, and all the jewelry.

With all the missing valuables, the case would have been labeled a robbery and murder if not for one thing. When found, the victim's body had had no visible wounds. Nor had the labs turned up any evidence of poison. Despite that, there was no mystery as to her death. Her hair had all turned white, and her entire body had withered to mere skin and bones. Those who saw the body said that she looked like a ninety year old woman rather than a thirty some year old one when found. It was as though all the life had been sucked right out of her.

Whatever strange misfortune had befallen her, it was the same misfortune that had claimed the lives of the other serial killer victims.

Shinichi frowned as he flipped the pancakes in the pan. They sizzled softly. On the counter beside him, the newspaper's headline continued to glare bold and black and accusing. There had been another death, and here he was cooking pancakes.

He scooped the pancakes onto a plate and poured more batter into the pan.

What were the police doing? Had they made any progress in the case at all? He wished someone would tell him what they'd found. But though he had been sending in his reports as instructed, no one was bothering to tell him anything in return. Hell, he didn't even know if they'd found the real thief yet. Then again, surely they would have called him back if they had caught the thief. They wouldn't just leave him here, right?

"Mmmm, that smells delicious."

Shinichi jumped and nearly flipped the latest pancake right out of the pan. He managed to move the pan just in time to catch it though. He breathed a sigh of relief and shot Kaito a glare. "Don't sneak up on people when they're at a hot stove. It's dangerous."

The sorcerer only laughed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I just had to come see what that delicious smell was. Carry on." As he spoke, Kaito reached for one of the plates, but Shinichi smacked his hand away.

"I'm not done yet. Jii told me that no one should be allowed to begin eating until everything is ready and on the table."

"Hey, I'm the master of the house, you know. Not old Jii." Despite his complaint, Kaito didn't try to take the plate again. He looked rather amused, actually. But then again, he always looked like that. Shinichi really wondered sometimes what was going on in the mind behind that easy grin and those sharp, calculating eyes.

The sorcerer moved to lean against the counter, one eye trained on the pancakes like a hungry tiger waiting for the right time to pounce. His gaze grazed over the newspaper as he did so and he whistled.

"Another one, eh? That's a shame. What a terrible way to go."

"Do you think whoever's doing it is using magic?" Shinichi asked. Just because he wasn't assigned to the case didn't mean he couldn't investigate it on his own. And, misplaced as he felt, he'd been given a great opportunity to speak to a real authority on some of his theories. "I read once about a sorcerer a long time ago who created a spell for stealing life energy. The book said it was a myth, but these killings…"

"Ah, yes, I've heard of that guy. Unfortunately, he's not a myth. He developed that spell while trying to find a way to live forever. The problem for him was that it didn't actually work."

"So the man is real but the spell isn't?"

"No, you misunderstand me. The spell really can sap a person of their life force. It just can't give that life force to someone else. All the man really managed to create was a spell for killing people. Which, frankly, is nothing remotely groundbreaking. It's much easier to hurt and destroy things than it is to fix and build."

"But about that spell. Is there anyone around who knows how to use it?"

"I'm not sure. It wasn't an easy spell to cast, from what I've heard. It's possible that there's someone out there who knows it. If there is, it's got to be a very skilled sorcerer."

Shinichi tried not to let his disappointment show. He could have guessed that much without asking. At least he knew more now than he had a few minutes ago. "What about here in Ekoda? Are there any sorcerers who'd be able to use magic like that here?"

"Purely in terms of skill, there're about fifteen."

That was a much larger number that Shinichi would have guessed. It was not a pleasant surprise. "What did you mean by only in terms of skill?" Scooping the last pancakes out of the pan, Shinichi turned off the stove and brought the plates to the table. Kaito dropped into a seat and began happily drowning his pancakes in syrup.

"Multiple reasons," he said, forking a piece of pancake. "Most sorcerers of the necessary level are fairly well to do. The biggest being that I don't know what kind of magical gift you need in order to cast that spell properly. If you knew that, you'd be able to narrow down the list quite a bit. Then there's motive, character, and so forth. There's also supposed to be a magical tool created by that same nutcase that could do roughly the same thing. He created it in the hopes that putting the stolen life energy into a container first would make it easier to transfer it into himself. Didn't work. If someone got a hold of that item though, they'd be able to sap people of life even if they can't cast the original spell. They'd just have to learn how to activate the magic in the item."

That was even worse news. "So it wouldn't even have to be a sorcerer?"

"Most magical tools still need you to use some magic of your own to activate them. It just means that what kind of magic you're good at won't matter." Kaito ate another piece of pancake. "You seem unusually interested in all this. Why's that?"

Shinichi froze for a moment before he managed to force himself to continue eating. "I guess it's been on my mind because it bothers me," he said. It was the truth, though not all of it. "Whoever it is, they need to be stopped."

"Very true," Kaito agreed. Shinichi was stunned to see that the sorcerer was already on his last piece of pancake. "The city isn't as safe as it used to be, that's for sure. I'm sure the police are looking into it though. No point in you worrying about it. While you live under my roof, I'll protect you."

Shinichi blinked, startled but touched by the reassurance that the sorcerer so casually offered. Not that he was actually afraid of being attacked—he didn't have any valuables to steal, and he'd been in the city so briefly that he was pretty sure he didn't have any enemies. But he appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

"Jii tells me you're learning quickly," Kaito said as he finished his pancakes. Then he snapped his fingers, and a thick folder appeared on the table beside Shinichi. "Go through that. I've agreed to speak at a sorcery seminar next week. You'll be assisting me in my presentation. Everything you need to know about your part in it are in there. I'll be quizzing you on it at the end of the week," he added, rising from his seat and sending Shinichi a toothy grin. "There will be consequences if you don't pass~"

Shinichi gaped as the sorcerer left the dining area whistling a cheery tune. Consequences? What was _that_ supposed to mean?

-0-

Shinichi had fully intended to start reviewing the presentation materials that afternoon. It was one of the first days in what felt like forever that he had had any free time. But then he'd pulled out his assignment card just as he was sitting down in the library to see that the formerly blank card now had four new items on it. These items included picking up a package from the tailors, making two more deliveries, and baking Kaito an apple pie as an impromptu midday snack. When he finally finished and got back to the library, it was to hear a resounding boom. The entire house shook. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he hurried to Kaito's workroom. There, he discovered the door lying in the hallway and a strange, greenish blue powder smeared all over the floor and walls.

Kaito, who had been standing over the mess, had only laughed. "Oops. Get the mops, will you?"

Once the mess had been cleaned up, Shinichi had had to go make dinner. Luckily, Jii returned just as they were finishing dinner. He and Kaito retreated to another room in the house to discuss whatever it was the old man had been up to. Left to his own devices, Shinichi quickly washed up the dishes then made a beeline back to the library. He looked at the as yet untouched folder and sighed. Picking it up, he headed back to his own room. He would study it there.

The material was a great deal more complex than he had anticipated. With his minimal knowledge of magic, even reading the stuff once was slow going. It was like being asked to help give a presentation in a foreign language when you'd only just learned how to say hello. The instructions about his part in the presentation informed him that he didn't actually need to fully understand it all, but since the material had been given to him, he was sure that Kaito was expecting him to at least try to understand it.

Buried in arcane diagrams and long passages on the technical side of magic use, Shinichi didn't notice as the night grew darker and the city quieted. Finally, with his vision starting to blur from exhaustion, he sat back and looked at the clock. It took a moment for him to read the time because his eyes were having trouble refocusing. When he could read it, he grimaced. It was already half past two in the morning. If he didn't get some sleep now, he wasn't going to be able to function tomorrow.

He stood up and stretched. His entire body was aching from sitting in the same position for the last several hours. He was really looking forward to going to sleep.

He moved to pull the curtains across the window. As he did so, he happened to glance outside.

Someone was down there.

Hesitating, he leaned closer to the glass and peered into the darkness outside.

Though it was dark, there was a small scattering of street lights in the distance that somewhat ameliorated the gloom. It was because of that that Shinichi could just barely make out a person making his way down the path away from the house. The shadow was too tall to be old Jii. Kaito? The longer he watched it, the surer he was. That had to be Kaito. But what was he doing leaving the house at this hour? And why wasn't he carrying a light? Most people who ventured out at such late hours knew better than to do so without some kind of light source.

Seriously though, where could Kaito be going at this strange hour?

Looking outside again, Shinichi found that there was no longer any sign of anyone outside. Had his tired eyes been playing tricks on him? But no, he was pretty sure he'd seen someone.

Well, there wasn't any point standing around speculating about it. He'd just ask Kaito about it tomorrow.

Stifling a yawn, he drew the curtains, blocking out the night.

* * *

 **-TBC-**


	6. Suspicion

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

* * *

 **Heart of a Spell**

 **Chapter 6 - Suspicion**

The following morning, Shinichi had forgotten about the shadowy figure who'd left the house in the middle of the night. It wasn't until he saw the morning paper that the memory came back to him.

The inspiration for the recollection was the news on the front page.

"Phantom thief makes off with Juniper's Blue Diamond," he read. According to the article, Lady Juniper, a woman from a noble family renowned throughout the country for both her beauty and her singing voice, had received a large blue diamond from a wealthy merchant three years ago. The merchant in question was a huge fan of her music. The diamond, rumored to have been created by a siren, had been mounted on a gold pendant that Lady Juniper wore around her neck at all times. She had given yet another rousing performance just last night. It had been an anniversary concert commemorating her debut twelve years ago. Afterwards, there had been a small party held for her close friends and colleagues. The celebration had lasted all through the night. That morning, however, she had woken to discover that her necklace had disappeared. In its place, the thief had left her a locket. And in the locket was a smiling caricature. The lady insisted that she had still been wearing her diamond when she changed into her nightgown the night before (well, it had actually been early morning). Therefore, the thief must have made the switch some time after that. The lady was greatly saddened by the loss, for she had come to see the diamond as a sort of good luck charm as it had been a gift from a devoted fan, but she had been equally distressed by the thought that the thief had been in her rooms while she had been fast asleep and dressed in nothing but a thin nightgown. The lady's embarrassment aside, the case was just as befuddling as all the others attributed to the Phantom Thief.

The truth was that Lady Juniper had received a notice five days ago of the impending theft of her diamond. She had told no one but the police. She hadn't wished to spoil the celebration being thrown in her honor, so she had asked that the police work as discreetly as possible. In response, the police had sent officers undercover as members of her audience for the performance that night. They had then set up hidden guards all around her estate where the party was being held. The officers present attested to the fact that no one had been seen going in or out of the estate that entire night. Nor were any of the guests missing the following morning. They had all been questioned and searched, but the diamond was nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, many had been quite drunk the previous night, so they couldn't account for all their actions. Still, the fact that the jewel was nowhere on the estate grounds was a fact. Or at least that was how the investigation team felt. Shinichi couldn't help but wonder if they'd been as thorough as they should have been. What kinds of questions had they asked? Were there any details they had found that might have been dismissed that could, in actuality, be useful clues?

It was as he was thinking about this that he suddenly remembered the man he had seen last night. A man who could only have been Kaito.

The heist had taken place last night too.

But no… No one had been spotted entering or leaving the estate during the party. And the party had lasted all through the night. Kaito had left at half past two. So, if he were the thief, he would have had to sneak into the party somehow. He couldn't have slipped in as another guest because that would have meant being there from an earlier time. The thief could also have been hiding on the estate grounds the entire time, but, again, that would require an early arrival. Then again, if sorcery was involved…

Shinichi gave himself a shake. Honestly, he was letting the other police officers' suspicions get to him. Just because Kaito happened to leave the house during the night of a heist didn't mean he had anything to do with the theft. Such a weak piece of evidence wasn't even worth being called evidence.

But then… Where had Kaito been?

He'd planned to just ask Kaito before, but now… Dare he ask? He had no solid evidence. If Kaito was somehow involved with the theft then asking him outright would just raise his suspicions and make any further investigation much more difficult. At the same time, Shinichi didn't want to believe that Kaito was the thief. As he'd told Hakuba, there was no reason for such a successful sorcerer to be wasting his time and energy on criminal activities. Right?

Unless there were reasons that went beyond riches.

"What's with that look? Is something wrong?"

Shinichi almost jumped out of his skin. Spinning around, he found Kaito standing right behind him. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

The sorcerer arched an eyebrow, his lips quirked up in amusement. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Is there shocking news in that paper then?" Kaito stepped forward, deftly taking the newspaper from Shinichi's hands and looking it over. His face lit up. "Ah, so the phantom thief strikes again I see."

Shinichi looked at him quizzically. "Is that really something you should be smiling about?"

Kaito laughed. "Perhaps not. But as a fellow sorcerer, it's only natural that I applaud this guy for his skills. I mean, all the high end estates have formidable magical defenses in place, but this man's been walking right through them like they're not even there."

"His skills may be admirable," Shinichi conceded, frowning. "But what he does with them is not."

"Well, it's nothing we need concern ourselves wit." Kaito laid the newspaper on the side table of the entrance hall where they were standing and took Shinichi by the arm. "Come on, it's time for breakfast."

-0-

Though he was kept too busy most of the time to worry about the problem of Kaito's midnight excursion, the problem continued to haunt the back of Shinichi's mind as the days flowed by. He found himself peering out the windows at odd hours of the night, wondering if he would see Kaito leaving in secret again like he had that night. He didn't see the shadow in the night again. He did, however, inadvertently deprive himself of a lot of sleep.

He was sorely tempted to blame this sleep deprivation for the two questions he missed on Kaito's quiz. He would also like to point out that it was extremely unfair to expect him, a beginner in the ways of magic, to explain the difference between two insanely complex magical diagrams. But he couldn't deny that the information had been in the folder, and he couldn't deny that he had gotten the answers switched around between the aforementioned two diagrams. That led to a rather embarrassing day of being forced to wear that blue dress Kaito had oh so graciously picked out for him that time they had gone clothes shopping. Shinichi had been horrified to learn that the sorcerer had bought the damned thing. On the up side, Kaito cheerfully agreed to let him do only indoors work that day. On the down side, the sorcerer must have cast some kind of spell on the garment because Shinichi found that he was unable to take it off until the full twelve hour period Kaito had specified had passed.

Whichever of his parents had given Kaito his particular sense of humor had, Shinichi thought, not done the world a favor.

He was glad he'd only missed two questions though. Who knew what the consequences might have been for missing more.

"Would you like to come to my show?"

Shinichi looked up from where he'd been sorting the post. "Your show?"

"I'm giving a performance today at the Crescent Theater to help kick off the annual Summer's End Festival. You haven't attended one of my shows yet. It'll be a good chance for you to see what they're like. It can also serve as a chance to unwind before that presentation we're giving the day after tomorrow."

"Oh." Shinichi blinked. "Um, okay."

-0-

Back in Beika, having a festival meant that the market square would be filled with colorful booths and families would come out to buy little trinkets and eat lots of food. There might be some music and dancing at the end of the day, but then everyone would clean up and go back to their everyday lives. Festivals were cheery and relaxing, and they never went on for more than a single day. Naturally, now that he was in a much larger city, Shinichi expected festival days to be livelier and noisier and all the other stuff that comes with a greater population. And he was right to a degree. At the same time, he was completely wrong.

Festivals in Ekoda weren't restricted to certain public areas. No, festivals seeped into every nook and cranny of the city. Every building had been festooned with brightly colored decorations, and all the people out on the streets were wearing brighter, fancier clothes. All the streets had been lined with everything from vendors to games. There was a musician on every corner, and just about all the regular stores were closed. What had already been busy city streets were now so crammed with people that going anywhere at all required a great deal of shoving and dozens of trodden toes.

And this was only the first day!

Shinichi paused to watch in amazement as four people on stilts walked by to a chorus of cheers. He'd read about stilts before, but he'd never actually seen anyone use any. How they could actually manage to walk like that, he had no idea. Yet there they were.

"Don't fall behind," Kaito admonished, reappearing beside Shinichi and grabbing him by the arm. "If we move too slowly, we're going to be late."

"Sorry," Shinichi apologized quickly. He'd almost completely forgotten that they were on a schedule.

The Crescent Theater was the largest performance hall in the city, and it was definitely fully immersed in the festival spirit. The entire building was covered in strings of lanterns of all different colors—though since it was still daytime, none of them had been lit yet. The lights were accompanied by fluttering paper streamers and strings of bells that jingled every time the wind blew. There was also a faint fragrance in the air because of the wreathes of flowers that festooned the windows.

There was already a long line outside the theater entrance. Well, two long lines. One ended at the ticket booth while the other was inching its way into the building itself.

"We'll be going in through the back," Kaito said, leading the way.

As they rounded a corner of the building, they saw three children climbing clumsily onto the raised flowerbed outside one of the theater windows. They were whispering amongst themselves as they did so. One of them, a little girl with a ribbon in her hair, pressed her face against the glass.

"I can't see anything," she reported. "It's too dark inside."

"Let me see." The skinnier of the two boys cupped his hands against the glass and peered in. "Ah darn, I can't really make anything out either."

"Well they've gotta turn on the light when they get started," the last of the three said hopefully.

By now, Kaito and Shinichi were standing right behind the three. None of them had noticed. Then Kaito cleared his throat loudly, and all three jumped. They scrambled to turn around on the narrow ledge of a flower bed, guilt written across all three faces.

"Hey there," Kaito said with a toothy grin that, if the way the kids shied away was anything to go by, did not reassure the three one bit. "What might you be up to?"

"Uh, n—nothing!" the skinny boy said with a nervous laugh. "We were just—wondering what the inside of a theater looked like. Yeah. So we thought we'd take a look."

"You could always go inside," the sorcerer suggested. "The theater welcomes all kinds of visitors."

"Yeah, but you have to buy tickets for that," the stout boy grumbled.

"Ah, I see. They've cut the usual children's ticket price in half for today."

"We know that," the little girl explained. "But we sort of got carried away at the stalls this morning. They were selling so many cool things!"

"And delicious food," the stout boy added.

"So we sort of spend all our allowances," the girl finished.

"But we heard there was going to be this really famous sorcerer at the show this year," the skinny boy said, taking up the story. "So we were hoping we'd be able to get a look from out here. It looks like it's not going to work though."

All three sighed in disappointment.

Kaito laughed. "Is that all? Well then, today's you're lucky day. I think I can arrange for you three to have seats for the show."

"Really?" Three faces lit up with sudden excitement. "That would be awesome! Thanks, Mister."

"No problem. Come on then."

Fifteen minutes later, Shinichi found himself sitting in one of the balcony seats beside the three children from outside. They had introduced themselves as Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta. They were now bouncing up and down in their seats, exclaiming over the spectacular view and how amazing they were sure the shows today were going to be. Shinichi found himself smiling at their childish enthusiasm.

"Excuse me," the little girl said, tugging on his sleeve. "But isn't your friend going to watch the show with us?"

"No, he has work to do," Shinichi replied.

"Oh." She sat back in her seat. "That's too bad."

"Who is he anyway?" Mitsuhiko asked. "He must be really important if he could get us such great seats just like that."

Shinichi hid a smile. Boy were they going to be surprised. "Look forward, you guys. The show's about to start."

-0-

"I can't believe we were actually invited in to watch the show by the sorcerer everyone was talking about!"

"Everyone at school is going to be so jealous."

Shinichi shook his head in amusement as the three kids continued to chatter excitedly about the show. True to his prediction, they had been stunned when Kaito had appeared on stage. They had gone on to be completely captivated by the show in which Kaito had retold the legend of the two brothers who had ventured to the land of dragons to bring the secret of fire back to the human world. Shinichi had to admit that the sorcerer had been pretty spectacular. The illusions he'd woven to accompany his story had really brought the tale to life.

Since Kaito had a second rendition of the show to give, Shinichi found himself accompanying the three kids as they explored the festival stalls. Genta wanted to stop at every food stall there was, but unfortunately they were being limited by their lack of funds. Shinichi purchased a handful of snacks for each of them, but he put his foot down when the kids went for their fourth round of candied treats.

"Too much sugar isn't good for you," he said in the face of their disappointment. "Why don't we go to the game stalls instead?"

"Yeah, let's get goldfish," Mitsuhiko said enthusiastically. And off they went.

Shinichi was standing a off to the side of the goldfish scooping pool, watching the three children struggle to catch the little, golden creatures, when a weight suddenly landed on his head. Crying out in surprise, he reached up to find a large straw hat on his head. He could tell just by feeling it that it was one of the overly colorful festival hats covered in dried flowers and enough in the way of wax fruits to open a small shop.

"How about it?" a skinny man with missing teeth asked with a broad, cheerful grin. "Buy yourself a keepsake for the celebration."

"Uh, thanks, but I don't really need a new hat," Shinichi replied with a polite smile. He moved to remove the hat, but the salesman reached up to adjust it so that it now rested at an angle atop Shinichi's head.

"Looks good on ya," the skinny man assured him as though this were the problem. "And it'll keep the sun off better than any sun blocking charm."

"Sorry, but I really don't need it."

"For a friend then," the man suggested. "It's handmade, you know. One hundred percent unique."

"I'm sure it is."

The man beamed, showing off the gaps in his teeth. "Ah, you'll buy one then."

"Er, no, that's not what I—I mean, I'm sure your hats are very well made. I just don't need one right now."

The salesman persisted for another few minutes before finally relenting with a shrug.

"You're missing out," he told Shinichi, lifting the hat from the detective's head. Then he was gone. As if on cue, Ayumi came trotting over with a tiny bucket in hand and a beaming smile on her face.

"Look! I caught one!"

It wasn't until he was getting ready for bed that night that Shinichi noticed that the charm Kaito had given him was no longer around his neck. He searched every inch of his room to no avail. The last time he recalled seeing it had been that morning when he'd been dressing. So he must have lost it during the festival.

Frowning, he sat down on the edge of his bed and thought back. The chain had been thin, so it wasn't impossible that it could have snapped somewhere in all the jostling of the crowds. He couldn't remember catching it on anything though. And, even if the chain was thin, it had been fairly well crafted. It shouldn't have fallen apart without provocation. So when…

The hat salesman! Thinking back on it, something had brushed his neck when the man had removed his hat. Shinichi had thought at the time that it was one of the hat's decorations, but it could just as easily have been sneaky fingers relieving him of the charm.

Uh oh. Kaito had been very clear about his wish that Shinichi keep the charm with him at all times.

Well, the presentation was on the morrow, but it would only take half the day. He could go to the festival lost and found afterward. If they didn't have any clues for him, he could retrace his steps and look for that salesman while asking around in case someone really had just picked it up.

Plans made, he decided to review the presentation material one last time before calling it a night.

So at his first ever festival in the city, he was (very likely) robbed. Go figure.

* * *

 **-TBC-**


End file.
